Privacy is highly valued  until we can sell it for a small discount. Hundreds of thousands of auto insurance customers allowed an electronic ankle bracelet fitted to their car in exchange for a possible insurance discount. A year ago, Progressive offered its Snapshot device. It plugs into your cars OBD system keeps and collects data that help Progressive to profile your driving. According to Reuters, Progressive already analyzed more than 5 billion driven miles. The company says its driving-behavior data is twice as good as any other factor in predicting risk, and that bad drivers cost Progressive more than twice as much as good ones.

I have a patent-pending ankle bracelet for swimming in fast-moving streams or places with a strong tide. It allows you to quickly attach a boat anchor so you won’t be swept away. Several of our testers have been found right where they were last seen, so it works. I’m currently seeking investors if anyone is interested.

Most dangerous situations I am seeing on the road these days involve vehicles moving forward while the driver’s head is turned away at a 90 degree angle, or drivers of moving vehicles with their heads down buried in food.

Flo’s little snapshot device ain’t gonna do nothing about either of those.

Or at least collision avoidance late in the game. If you’re regularly needing to jam on your brakes to not get in accidents then the insurance company figures you’re probably not paying enough attention and missing other opportunities to avoid collision less “abruptly”, which means eventually you’re going to be too late, so your rates go up because they “know” you’re getting in an accident soon.

Insurance is all about playing the odds, the more of your behavior they know the more they know about your odds, the more they can charge accordingly. If you’re a nice boring safe driver like my grandfather was it’s the system for you, if you’re emotionally incapable of not speeding when you get behind the wheel like me...

30
posted on 07/09/2012 10:59:17 AM PDT
by discostu
(Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends.)

Most dangerous situations I am seeing on the road these days involve vehicles moving forward while the drivers head is turned away at a 90 degree angle, or drivers of moving vehicles with their heads down buried in food.
__________________

Here’s a solution; a device that notes where the eyes are focused and whether the hands are indeed on steering wheel. Something like a tactile sensor for the wheel, and a micro-camera to determine eye position. This is just an idea, off-the-cuff.

The first time it notices a driver not paying attention, a gentle chime and reminder to watch the road.

The second time, a mild electric shock, rigged through the driver’s seat.

Third time, it takes control of the steering, moves the vehicle to the side of the road, decelerates, stops, locks the doors/windows, shuts off the motor, and sends an electric current to detonate the five pounds of C4 in the dashboard.

Problem? Solution.

Cheers!

31
posted on 07/09/2012 11:00:43 AM PDT
by AnAmericanAbroad
(It's all bread and circuses for the future prey of the Morlocks.)

Definitely not good for people who work nights. It seems Progressive thinks only people who work 9-5, M-F are the only “good” drivers. The thing clicks up “bad” if you’re driving after midnight (according to the comments in the linked story).

33
posted on 07/09/2012 11:02:53 AM PDT
by jeffc
(Welcome to the United Socialist States of America)

If the claims about the correlation between "Snapshot data" and cost of issuing policies is true (that is, that "unsafe" drivers cost 2.5 times as much as others), then it is not "BS".

While I oppose any mandates from government to track my behavior or travel, I have no concern with private companies attempting to make the insurance industry more competitive.

I buy insurance to protect myself from unforseeable incidents which could damage me financially. I shouldn't have to pay twice as much as necessary if it is possible to forsee that I have less likelihood of getting into an accident.

They’re not looking for the 50g’s, that’s an accident, they’re going to hear about that. They’re looking for the 1g’s, almost an accident, you don’t tell them about that, but the more often it happens the more likely the 50g’s. That’s why your rates go up when you get a ticket, it shows risky behavior. This is just pulling more consistent data, high speeds, jammed on brakes, late driving, lots of steering (generally means you’re drunk or tired), stuff that increases your chances of getting in an accident. The risk factors are well documented, the telltales are well known, that’s what they’re recording.

40
posted on 07/09/2012 11:34:29 AM PDT
by discostu
(Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends.)

“While I oppose any mandates from government to track my behavior or travel, I have no concern with private companies attempting to make the insurance industry more competitive”

I don’t think anyone’s against competition, at least not on this website.

But do you have a concern with private companies tracking your behavior and travel habits (of which said information can easily be sold to anyone, including marketing companies, political rivals; even the government itself)?

41
posted on 07/09/2012 11:35:38 AM PDT
by MichaelCorleone
('We the People' can and will take this country back...starting today.)

Does it send real time data to Progressive (how?) or does it just record data that they retrieve later?

I have a device that attaches to the OBD II port as does this "Progressive" gizmo.My thing can be set to record up to five different parameters at one second intervals.I have mine set to record speed,engine RPM,manifold intake temp,battery charge and another thing I can't recall.Mine must be removed periodically and be connected to a PC to view the data...it doesn't transmit any info.My hunch is that the "Progressive" gizmo records the same kind of data and that it,too,must be removed and hooked up to a computer.

Don’t know. Right now it’s a voluntary thing from an insurance company. And not necessarily a bad idea, given that insurance is all about risk mitigation the more risk they know about the easier it is to mitigate, and also drivers like me (I speed every time I drive) will never sign up for it, which makes their lives a little easier too (not that I get in a lot of accidents, but I do realize I’m bucking the odds), Verizon taught the world that getting rid of expensive customers is good for the bottom line.

As long as it’s voluntary everybody can make their choices. I choose no. But if I drove like my grandfather (never a single ticket in his life, never an accident, always followed the speed limit) I might choose yes.

47
posted on 07/09/2012 11:58:48 AM PDT
by discostu
(Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends.)

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